Chapter 9.5. Sacramento Emergency Clean Air And Transportation Program of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 26. >> Part 5. >> Chapter 9.5.

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
  (a) "Advanced introduction costs" means the costs of the project less a baseline cost that would otherwise be incurred by the applicant in the normal course of business. "Advanced introduction costs" may include, but are not limited to, incremental costs, additional operational costs, facility modifications, additional staff training, fueling infrastructure, and costs associated with off-cycle vehicle replacement, as determined by the Sacramento Region Districts.
  (b) "Attainment" means meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone.
  (c) "Conformity" means that a transportation program, project, and plan promulgated by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments is able to successfully comply with Sections 7410 and 7506 of Title 42 of the United States Code, so as to qualify for an approval, license, or permit, or to obtain financial assistance, from the federal agencies specified in those sections.
  (d) "Covered engine" includes any internal combustion engine or electric motor and drive powering a covered source.
  (e) "Covered source" includes onroad heavy-duty diesel vehicles and other onroad high-emitting diesel engine categories, as determined by SACOG.
  (f) "Covered vehicle" includes any vehicle or piece of equipment powered by a covered engine.
  (g) "New very low-emission vehicle" means a vehicle that qualifies as a very low emission vehicle when it is a new vehicle, as defined in Section 430 of the Vehicle Code, or that is modified with the approval and warranty of the original equipment manufacturer to qualify as a very low-emission vehicle within 12 months of delivery to an owner for private or commercial use.
  (h) "NO x" means oxides of nitrogen.
  (i) "Program" means the Sacramento Emergency Clean Air and Transportation Program created by this chapter.
  (j) "Repower" means replacing an engine with a different engine. The term "repower," as used in this chapter, generally refers to replacing an older, uncontrolled engine with a new, emissions-certified engine, although replacing an older emissions-certified engine with a newer engine certified to lower emissions standards may be eligible for funding under this program.
  (k) "Retrofit" means making modifications to the engine and fuel system such that the retrofitted engine does not have the same specifications as the original engine.
  (l) "SACOG" means the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.
  (m) "Sacramento federal ozone nonattainment area" means the area defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the Federal Register notice dated November 6, 1991 (56 Fed. Reg. 56694).
  (n) "Sacramento Region Districts" means the El Dorado Air Pollution Control District, Feather River Air Quality District, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, and Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District.
  (o) "Very low-emission vehicle" means a vehicle with emissions significantly lower than otherwise applicable baseline emission standards or uncontrolled emission levels determined pursuant to the criteria in Section 44282.

There is hereby created the Sacramento Emergency Clean Air and Transportation Program. The program shall be administered by SACOG. The implementation of the program, in whole or in part, may be delegated by SACOG to the Sacramento Region Districts. The program may provide grants to offset the advanced introduction costs of eligible projects that reduce onroad emissions of NO x within the Sacramento federal ozone nonattainment area. Eligibility for grant awards shall be determined by SACOG, or delegated by SACOG to the Sacramento Region Districts, in accordance with this chapter.

(a) Eligible projects may include, but shall not be limited to, any of the following:
  (1) Purchase of new very low- or zero-emission covered vehicles or covered engines to replace older heavy-duty diesel vehicles or engines.
  (2) NO x emission-reducing retrofit of covered engines, or replacement of old diesel engines and drives powering covered sources with newer diesel engines and drives certified to more stringent NO x emissions standards than the engine being replaced.
  (3) Purchase and use of NO x emission-reducing add-on equipment for covered vehicles.
  (4) Implementation of practical, low-emission retrofit technologies, repower options, advanced technologies, or low sulfur diesel or alternative fuel mixtures for covered engines and vehicles.
  (b) In determining eligible projects, SACOG or the Sacramento Region Districts shall not exclude any technology based on the type of fuel utilized by that technology.
  (c) Eligible applicants may be any individual, company, or public agency that owns one or more covered vehicles that operate primarily within the Sacramento federal ozone nonattainment area or otherwise contribute substantially to the NO x emissions inventory in the Sacramento federal ozone nonattainment area.
  (d) The program shall provide grants to eligible projects that help reduce onroad NO x emissions on a timely and cost-effective basis within the Sacramento federal ozone nonattainment area in order to maximize the reduction in NO x emissions from available funds, thereby aiding the area in its efforts to achieve applicable air quality conformity goals in 2002 and 2005.

(a) Funds to implement the program shall be provided from the amount allocated from the Traffic Congestion Relief Fund for the purposes of paragraph (118) of subdivision (a) of Section 14556.40 of the Government Code.
  (b) To ensure that emission reductions are obtained as needed from pollution sources, funds provided as described in subdivision (a) shall be segregated as follows:
  (1) Not more than 1 percent of the funds provided as described in subdivision (a) shall be allocated to program support and outreach costs incurred by SACOG or the Sacramento Region Districts directly associated with implementing the program pursuant to this chapter.
  (2) Not more than 2 percent of the funds provided as described in subdivision (a) shall be allocated to direct program outreach activities.
  (3) The balance shall be used to offset costs of eligible projects.
  (c) SACOG, in consultation with the Sacramento Region Districts, shall specify procedures by which evaluation and review of eligible projects shall be accomplished.
  (d) The Sacramento Region Districts shall include an evaluation of the emission benefits provided by those eligible projects that are implemented in the Sacramento federal ozone nonattainment area in the milestone reports submitted in 2002 and 2005 to the United States Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to subsection (g) of Section 7511a of Title 42 of the United States Code.
  (e) Funds provided to SACOG as described in subdivision (a) shall not be expended on any NO x control retrofit technology unless that technology has been determined to be eligible for use in the program pursuant to Section 44299.54.

On or before January 10, 2001, the executive officer of the state board shall make a determination as to the eligibility of NO x retrofit technologies for use in the program, and may make additional determinations of eligibility of NO x technologies after January 10, 2001. In order to be determined eligible by the executive officer of the state board, each NO x retrofit technology shall have, at a minimum, the ability to reduce onroad heavy-duty diesel emissions of NO x by 10 percent or more and shall be durable and effective in reducing emissions, as determined by the executive officer of the state board.

All emissions reductions and credits achieved as a result of programs initiated under this chapter shall be used to fulfill local and regional commitments to air quality standards. Any additional reductions or credits that may exist after the local or regional commitment to air quality is fulfilled may be used to fulfill the state's commitment to air quality standards and attainment.